gryphon

Everyday

1. A made-up creature from old stories, with the head, wings and front legs of an eagle and the body, back legs and tail of a lion. tree →
2. In Alice in Wonderland, the Gryphon is a lazy, rough-talking creature who takes Alice to meet the Mock Turtle and tells her about their school under the sea. tree →

In the lessons

Gryphons are found in myths of ancient Greece and Persia and on coats of arms, flags and old buildings, where they stand for strength and watchfulness. It is not a real animal — no gryphon ever lived. In Alice, the Gryphon (drawn by John Tenniel) says «What fun!» and laughs at the Queen, and together with the Mock Turtle dances the Lobster Quadrille.

Examples

• The Gryphon was asleep in the sun when the Queen found him. tree →
• A gryphon has an eagle's head and a lion's body. tree →
• The Gryphon and the Mock Turtle danced the Lobster Quadrille for Alice. tree →
• There is a stone gryphon over the door of the old bank. tree →
• In the fantasy game, the knight rode a gryphon through the sky. tree →
• The Gryphon told Alice that the lessons «lessen» from day to day. tree →
• Gryphons are made up, like dragons and unicorns. tree →

Note

Three spellings: gryphon, griffin, griffon; all mean the same creature (but a griffon is also a kind of dog and a kind of vulture). It is a myth, not a real animal.